Calling all bucket seat owners: Seat belts/harness
 

I've been looking into buying some bucket seats and im at the point trying to figure out the safety aspect of it. Ive seen the threads about aftermarket seats but there is no real detail on seat belt safety.

So im curious, for those running bucket seats, are you running stock seat belts? if so can you post pics of your configuration? does the lap belt go over the side of the seat? or do you loop the female connector through the side of the seat?

or do you use harnesses?

please post pics of your set up!

safety first....

I just wear my seatbelt wherever I go, just incase. Plus this way I don't have to use the crappy OEM seatbelt.

https://www.neatorama.com/wp-content...lt-500x375.jpg

Edit:
I wish there was a search engine that would allow you to search the entire internet for an answer to very generic questions.

WORLD WIDE WEB SEARCH!

ahh yes, another classic useless post from the little boys at the sakebomb factory.:icon_tup:

ahh yes, another classic useless thread from muibubbles :icon_tup:

I forgot there was no fun allowed on the rx7club, sorry didn't mean to have a laugh. I won't do it again. Btw, this is my personal account, there's no "boys" here only me.

But in all seriousness, you cant run a harness without a roll bar. If you have a roll bar you can run a harness. If you've got a rollbar you can wrap the shoulders or use a proper harness bar in the back, and clip in inboard and outboard seat belts. I highly recommend the Schroth ASM harness unless you plan on running a submarine belt. They also offer a DOT legal push button cam lock release.

But if you're on the street... you really should be in a 3 point standard belt. You cant move, turn around, or reach the stereo in a harness :) . If you've got high bucket seats that extend far upwards over the crest of your hips you kinda do need to run the belt through the seat as above the seat wouldn't touch your lap. Hopefully the recesses on the sides of the seats are low enough that this wouldnt be a problem and you could just run it over top of the seat.

-Heath

I am running the stock 3 point belt with my recaro spg's on the street. It is routed over the side bolsters and still sits snug on my lap.

I run the OEM belt with my Recaro Profil on the street and with a 4 point for the track days. Not a good idea to run a 4 point without a roll bar. If you don't have a roll bar, do not run a 4 point harness.

Do you have a roll bar or cage?
If so, then you should run harnesses with your seats for maximum safety.
It is not a good idea to run stock belts in a caged car because they may allow enough freedom of movement that your body contacts the cage.

It is also a TERRIBLE idea to run buckets and harnesses without a roll bar or cage, as they hold you upright in the car, meaning in a rollover when the roof comes crushing down, you will be right there. Stock seats/belts are designed to allow you to be pushed down, harnesses are not.

The car does have a roll bar. im debating if i should use the stock belts or a harness for the street... im not sure if i should use stock for street harness for track or just use only one...

i also sit really close to the steering wheel so i dont *think* reaching radio controls would be an issue

If it has a roll bar and your going to buy a bucket seat use a harness, it takes all of 10 extra seconds to buckle in vs a oem belt. And use a 5pt (or 6) not a 4pt harness (especially for the track)

get the harness, spend a little extra for the quick buckle kind, and try it out. If it is too much of a PITA for your taste, then you can always use the stock belts. A harness will always be safer.

Thanks for the input, i was leaning towards just using the harness all the time... are they street legal? i saw a video that said the 4pt were street legal but 5 pt is strictly for track?

those running a 5pt, are you using a 2" or 3" sub belt?

AFAIK, any harnesses/belts are street legal as long as they are DOT approved. I think it is just hard to find ones that are DOT approved as it is not a major requirement for most people who buy them. I doubt you would need to worry about any legality issues anyway, who would notice?

i have bucket seats in my supra. on the street i use the harness lap belt and the factory 3 point (the factory lap belt is not tight enough with the bucket, its almost pointless). at the track i use a 6 point

lol, I'm gonna subscribe to this thread it's getting pretty comical.

So first question:
Does your steering wheel have an airbag?

I mean seriously if you have a question regarding harnesses why not call a harness manufacture directly?

http://www.schrothracing.com/

http://simpsonraceproducts.com/

A#1 you can't run a 3" sub belt. Come on, seriously?
B#2 You cant run a 3" lab belt, look into it. 3" belt is too wide to grab your illiac crest, and the belt slips off your body and you go under the lab belt mangling your internal organs

http://www.google.com/url?source=img...sCThnd0dJ4D9gw

DOT approval for a street harness comes down to a red button with the words "PUSH" so emergency personnel can quickly remove your restraint. Schroth is the only company making a DOT approved cam lock. "Street legal" has nothing to do with the amount of "points" your seatbelt has. First of all your seat needs a hole and proper mount underneath for the 5/6 point straps. I have a guide and specs for the mounting angle under the seat from schroth... it's all listed on their website, just check. Also research the ASM.

Second, obviously you don't understand but a harness doesnt have a seat belt retractor like stock. This means you can't leave the belts loose.... at all. With the harness on and tightened all the way down you literally CAN'T MOVE, and if you can it's not tightened enough. You're essentially glued to the seat... you can only move your arms and legs, so anything not in arms reach you're SOL. How are you going to back your car up in reverse to park?? You can't move your torso. Also with the harness fully tightened it's not really comfortable. You really need to think about the details before saying "I'm going to run a harness on the street" cause you haven't thought it through.



Oh and now that your body is glued to the seat, and you've got a roll cage your head is free to flop around like a bobble head doll in an accident, so you should have a padded cage, or a helmet. Then comes v1 vertebrae injuries without the use of a HANS, and on and on it goes. If you want a quick synopsis from someone that has already done the research there you have it. :icon_tup:

Has anyone out here ever installed a 6 point harness using the Spirit R recaros?

how did you go about with the 5th and 6th point? did you cut a small hole in the bottom with a grommet of some sort?

i just bought a harness and was about to cut a 1"x3" hole in the bottom of my recaros but before i do, i want to hear your opinions. i like to sit as low as possible so im not using a cushion, although i might get the cushion redone for a hole in it to allow the belt the pass through.

any thoughts?

EDIT: nm, just saw this was an old thread :)

Since this was brought back from the dead I might as well ask .


I have been using my harness on the street since I got the car it came with the harness .

But I dislike this harness because it is a 4 point harness

Reason I dislike it is when i try and tighten the shoulder straps it pulls the lap strap up onto my abdomen .

so for those of you that might be more experienced .

how do you fix this issue? tighten the lap belt as tight as it goes then the shoulder straps long enough that it doesnt pull the lap belt up??

or tighten the lap then tighten the shoulder until its snug regardless if it moves the latch up onto my abdomen

hmm David, i wonder if that was a "use the search" comment! Haha.

Tem: Where are your mounting point for the lower part of the harness? maybe they are too far back/high? the only issue i can think of is that the mounting point is a little high for you causing it to rise every time you pull the shoulder straps.

it is using stock OEM belt mounting location for the lap strap

Can argue either way all day. A best friend died two years ago in a crash because factory 3 pt cut through her liver.

Reason I dislike it is when i try and tighten the shoulder straps it pulls the lap strap up onto my abdomen .

What harness do you have?

I am using the Takata Drift III (made by Schroth) DOT 4 point harnesses in my FD with fixed back bucket seats.

Schroth/Takata say not to over tighten the shoulder harnesses as it will pull the lap portion up as you say.

Instead of being worn taut like a race harness, they use a "ASM" patch that tears out in an accident making the 4 point harness function like a 3 point (torso pitches forward at an angle instead of sliding under the lap belt.)

thank you very much I will re adjust the harness asoon as I can .